Читать книгу King Henry the Fifth - William Shakespeare - Страница 5

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O for a muse of fire, that would ascend

The brightest heaven of invention,1

A kingdom for a stage, princes to act,

And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!

Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,

Assume the port of Mars;2 and, at his heels,

Leash’d in like hounds, should famine, sword, and fire,

Crouch for employment.(A) But pardon, gentles all,

The flat unraised spirit that hath dar’d

On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth

So great an object: Can this cockpit hold3

The vasty fields of France? or may we cram

Upon this little stage4 the very casques5

That did affright the air at Agincourt?

O, pardon! since a crooked figure may

Attest in little place, a million;

And let us, cyphers to this great accompt,

On your imaginary forces6 work.

Suppose within the girdle of these walls

Are now confined two mighty monarchies,

Whose high upreared and abutting fronts

The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder:7

Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts;

Into a thousand parts divide one man,8

And make imaginary puissance;9

For ’tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings,

Carry them here and there; jumping o’er times,

Turning the accomplishment of many years

Into an hour-glass: For the which supply,

Admit me Chorus to this history;

Who, prologue-like, your humble patience pray,

Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play.

Exit.